Two Southeast Asian organizations have pooled their resources to address food security and alleviate poverty in rural areas in the region. Member countries of the Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are now paving the way for the implementation of what is called Integrated Regional Aquaculture Program (IRAP), the flagship aquaculture component of the ASEAN-SEAFDEC Special Five-Year Program. SEAFDEC is a treaty organization established in 1967 to promote fisheries development in Southeast Asia. It is now composed of nine member countries – the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Brunei Darussalam.

Fernandez, R. A. (2002, October 16). Asean, Seafdec join forces to address food security problem in Asia. The Philippine Star, p. C-2.